Modal(Lightbox/thickbox) displays are great to focus users' attention on to a particular task. There are some places where the user needs to be focussed on a particular portion of a web page without losing the context of the surrounding user interface elements. Inplace modal displays a overlay around the user interface element that needs focus.

Unfortunately, I don't have the application where I am using this idea published yet. But here is a demo of the concept with the jQuery script:

I hadn’t recognized this as a pattern before you suggested it, thanks. Now when I identified it I see this pattern in use all the time: Gmail, Twitter search, Google Docs etc. But, is this a UI design pattern, or AJAX/coding pattern instead? Or, is this a pattern at all, or rather just part of other patterns? Those are few things I need to consider before turning this idea into a pattern.

One more thing: I’m going to focus now more on patterns people need when they make early sketches of the UI, and this pattern is a bit out of the scope. But, after I have finished that theme, I’ll consider this pattern again.

Multiple small tabs across the top of a function list. tabs represent function groups, list items represent subfunctions. Conceptually similar to the windows menu line but with all sublist items fitting in the same list box space - transition between lists carousel fashion for pizazz!

The global site search field on some sites expand on entry. This keeps the search field small until needed, and visually unobtrusive, and makes it more welcoming for typing search criteria when needed.